


Axle Grease

by spicygenou



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, mechanic AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-12 21:26:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10499775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spicygenou/pseuds/spicygenou
Summary: Jamie, a mechanic crushing on a regular customer, starts to get closer to Mako; but, the other man has a few secrets and turns out to be more dangerous than Jamie had expected. As he learns more about the older man, his feelings for him grow, even though he knows he's only putting himself and his friends at risk.





	1. Chapter 1

He was pumped as all get out, bouncing off the walls with glee, much to the annoyance of his manager. It was the morning, so he was alone with her. He never understood what had brought Satya to this line of work—it was dirty, she had to interact with all kinds of loud and deprave souls, and she wasn’t the best with either of those things. She’d hated Jamie when they’d first met, despite being the one to hire him, but she’d slowly started warming up to him. It wasn’t all that hard, really, he just had to learn how to approach her without freaking her out, and given his brash personality, it had been tough in the beginning.

As it was, she was used to his bubbly self, and knew just what had him so excited.

“Tuesday, already?” she asked—though they both knew she’d never do anything as careless as forget the date.

“That’s right!” he cheered.

“Do you plan on saying anything to him today?”

“Not at all. I think I’ll just stare!” he hopped onto the seat next to her, fiddling with the reception desk’s various knick-knacks.

“The usual, then,” she smiled.

Right on cue, a loud rumbling shook the shoddy walls of their garage. Jamie spun around in his chair, laughing loudly.

“What a ride!” he praised. “What’s the big lug keep coming around for, do you think? Not like it ever needs any work!”

Satya only shrugged. “It’s important to have regular check-ups. Though weekly may be a bit excessive.”

Jamie nodded. The engine noise cut out, and he made a show of appearing busy, jotting down imaginary notes on a sticky-note pad.

Satya, the face of the small garage, stood and straightened out her skirt—pristine, as always. A huge figure appeared opposite them, his shadow menacing in the frame of the door. Jamie was already blushing madly, but he was much too far for the newcomer to have noticed.

“Good morning, Mr. Rutledge,” Satya nodded her head. “Usual tune-up, then?”

He grunted, a typical response. Satya hardly minded any taciturn customer, as she was all for working with their machines rather than people.

Usually, the man would follow Satya and observe her work—he’d explained that he wanted to keep an eye on anyone touching his bike, not just her. This time, however, he took another step inside, then another. Soon, he was mere meters away from Jamie, who was furiously trying to avoid his eye.

“Hey,” the man—Mako, Jamie knew, having entered his payment info multiple times in the past few months—said.

Jamie chose to ignore the small squeak that he released. He turned his head up, regretting it instantly.

If his face was red before, by then it was on fire. He’d never seen Mako without his face covered; in addition to a helmet, he rode his bike with a deep red bandana covering his mouth and nose. The helmet was nowhere in sight, and the bandana was pushed down, revealing a large nose and even larger lips. His eyes, deep brown, were boring into Jamie’s, not smiling but still bright. His white hair was hanging around his face, not in the typical high ponytail that Jamie occasionally sneaked peeks at when he visited.

God, he was perfect, Jamie thought. How was it fair that one person have such a body—so huge and strong and intimidating—but such a soft, gentle face? It was everything Jamie never knew that he’d wanted. Sure, he’d known that he liked big men, tall and buff was his type. But Mako wasn’t just tall and muscular, he also had a gut that extended beyond comprehension and seemed like it could crush him. How he wished it would!

His own frame, long and lanky, bony and undernourished, embarrassed him, no matter how many of his past hook-ups had complimented it, liking that way they could pick him up or wrap their hands around him easily. Oh, he flushed harder, Mako’s hands were _huge_! How was that even possible?

“You alright?” Mako asked.

“Huh?” Jamie replied smartly.

“Seem a little out of it.”

He hummed. Then, remembering the situation, startled slightly. “Oh! Shit! Sorry, mate! Er, must be too early for me, you know?” he chuckled uneasily. Jamie was far from shy, but he was stumbling over his words in the presence of the man he’d been lusting after since he first set foot in their shop months before. “Did… did you need anything?”

He shrugged. “No, just didn’t want to stand outside. Your boss doesn’t talk much.”

Jamie laughed. “She’s not one for small talk, that’s for sure! But, I usually talk enough for the both of us, you know? So it evens out.” He relaxed slightly. Mako was still human, after all, and a customer. It would be weird of him to act out of the ordinary. “We have a few other employees that come in later in the afternoon, a bit louder, like me.”

He nodded. “I don’t think we’ve formally met,” he said, extending a hand. “I’m Mako.”

Jamie mimed the motion, smiling. “Jamison. Call me Jamie, though.”

Mako stared slightly at the offered arm before taking the prosthetic in his hand. “Nice mech. Did you make it?”

Jamie grinned, extending his fingers to show off the range of motion. “You bet yer ass I did! Sick, isn’t it?” He leaned back then, much to Mako’s surprised, hoisted his right leg up onto the desk. Another false limb was revealed, though this one was markedly less developed than the arm, merely a crude peg leg without even a foot. “I’m hopin’ to fix up a similar leg, but I’m still scrounging for some parts and money.”

“That’s impressive,” Mako said. “I’m sure a lot of people would kill for an arm like that.”

Jamie laughed. “Probably! I’ve had a few people approach me, but they were awful! Suits, the lot of ‘em. Even worse, Americans! They’d sooner patent this shit and corner the market than give it to people who need it.”

“That’s too bad. Maybe someday you’ll find someone with better motives.”

He shrugged. “I do still have a lot of shit to perfect for it, so it’d be a while before something like that could happen. So!” he chirped, changing the subject. “Your bike’s a real beaut! I’m surprised you let anyone else near her! Or that you don’t fix her yourself!”

“I do,” he said, glancing to the side. His cheeks took on the slightest shade of pink.

“Really? Why do you come in so much, then?”

He sighed. “Well, actually—“

“Junkrat!” a loud voice cut through their conversation.

Recognizing it, Jamie stood, panicked look on his face. “Shit…” his eyes darted around, finally landing on Mako. “Don’t let her know I’m here!” he begged. Before Mako could respond, Jamie ducked down, tucking himself away under the desk.

A petite woman came into the garage, her glare settling on Mako before softening.

“You seen a rat around here?” she asked.

He shook his head, and she grumbled.

“I know you’re around here, Jamie!” she yelled. “Lucio gave me your schedule! The next time I see you, I’m kicking your ass!” She let her words sink in for a few seconds before turning and stomping out.

A few moments later, Mako spoke. “She’s gone.”

“You sure?” Jamie asked, hesitant to leave his hiding spot. “What if she’s just waiting around the corner or somethin’?” Still, he peeked out, then sat back in his seat. “Thanks, mate.”

“Who was that?”

“My friend, Hana. I may have altered one of her toys a bit… made it more explodey than she’d have liked. I thought it would help, though! But, it got her in trouble.”

“What?”

“She builds robots, nasty little fighting bots, and enters them in competitions! That’s how we met, actually, years ago. I got out of that, though, wanted to work on bigger things, hence the mechanic thing, but she got super competitive. She may or may not compete in some shadier circles these days. Anyway, I was helping her install a new mod overnight, and I gave it some high-caliber explosives. Her opponent’s bot got annihilated, obviously, and he was not happy. He’s a bit of scary man, so now she’s got people after her, wanting her to pay them for the tech she damaged. Understandably, she’s pissed that I installed the thing and didn’t tell her—I didn’t think she’d find the button for it, though!”

Mako nodded. “Are you going to help her?”

“I mean, I would if I could… but I don’t have the money for all that!”

“I don’t want to intrude, but you probably should. It’s only fair.”

He sighed. “I know. I need to stop avoiding her. She’s pissed, sure, but if I just fix things, it’ll be okay. I’ll probably have to go to the other guy and straighten the whole thing out. He’s an ass, though. Head of some law firm or other—not sure what he’s doing fighting bots illegally.” Mako only nodded. “Anyway, sorry. Sure you didn’t come here to hear me blab about my problems!”

“It’s no problem,” he assured. “A law firm? What’s his name, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Paul something or other… Shepherd? I think?”

He hummed.

They were silent, then, though thankfully it was made less awkward by Satya joining them.

“Nothing seems to be the matter, Mr. Rutledge,” she said. “I assume we’ll be seeing you next week?”

He nodded, seeming much less talkative with Satya than he’d been with Jamie. He turned and headed out, knowing that they already had his credit card information. He stopped in the door, looked back, and gave Jamie a small wave.

When he started up his bike, Jamie fell forward onto the desk, covering his face in his hands. “Oh my god oh my god oh my god!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I talked to him! I actually talked to him! Ah! I was so weird! Then Hana came in looking for me and now he probably thinks I’m a terrible person who’s awful to his friends and that I’m selfish and oh my god he hates me doesn’t he? He thinks I don’t wanna help other people who need prosthetics and that I’m afraid of confrontation!”

“But you _are_ afraid of confrontation.”

“That’s not the point!” he whined. “Ugh, I blew it, Satya.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. Not sure what to do, she pet his head a few times. “There there.”

He only groaned.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So, no roadrat in this chapter, just a bit of relationship/world establishing!

Deciding to exude more maturity than what would be considered normal, Jamie texted Hana right after he got off work, asking if they could meet up. He was expecting a quick conversation, not a social visit, so he was surprised when she, text full of smiles, invited him to their usual bar later that night.

He was glad, at least, that the conversation was delayed. It gave him plenty of time to stop at his favorite tea shop for some milk boba tea, take a much needed bath at home, complete with a Lush bath bomb, and play some video games for a few hours before catching a late bus to their spot. He spotted the third member of their trio before he found Hana.

“Hey, Lucio,” he smiled. “Haven’t seen you in a while, mate!”

The man laughed. “Probably since you and Hana haven’t been speaking.”

“Yeah…” he began, rubbing his cheek. “That’s my bad. Came to talk to her about that, actually.”

“Hey guys!” the woman in question threw her arms around them both, breath hinting at a past drink—fruity and full of rum, of course. “Jamie, you’re late.”

“Missed the bus I wanted,” he explained. “I had to wait in the rain for like, ten minutes!”

“Poor thing,” Lucio cooed, rolling his eyes. “You call this rain? It’s barely drizzling!”

Jamie mumbled something about “shit weather” under his breath.

“You guys want a drink?” Hana asked. “I already have a tab open.”

“Sure,” Jamie said. “The usual.”

“Me too!” Lucio cheered. “Thanks, Han!”

Lucio and Jamie settled into a booth while Hana went to fetch their drinks. The pair chatted for a bit, Lucio telling his friend all about his day—stressful, in a word. Before he could get into the particulars about why he hated his boss, Hana returned bearing their orders as well as three shots.

“Drink up, bitches!” she said, scooting the drinks to their respective owners.

“Jesus, it’s a Monday!” Jamie laughed. Still, he didn’t hesitate to lift his shot; they clinked the small glasses between them then downed the liquor.

“Oh god!” Lucio groaned. “Tequila? Why would you go with tequila?”

Hana slapped his back. “You need to toughen up! You’ve gone soft!”

“You could’ve gotten the limes and salt, at least,” he whined.

She glanced back toward the bar, noticing a napkin with three lime slices, abandoned. “Oops.”

Jamie laughed. “When’s the last time you went out, Luc?”

“Dude, you have no idea how swamped I am! And I always have events on the weekend, so it’s not like I can join you guys, either.”

“That blows,” Hana said. She pushed against Lucio in an effort to make room for herself on the bench. With a huff, he relented, though he was smiling. “What about you, Jamie? You weren’t at work today…”

He choked on his drink. Coughing, he avoided Hana’s eye. “Er… yeah… well… about that—“

She laughed. “It’s fine, I know you were there. Luckily for you, I’m no longer mad.”

“Eh? Really?”

“Yup! The guy who’s bot I wrecked, he called me earlier today, said the debt was paid, or something. Then—get this—he offered to buy _me_ more parts before the tournament!”

“Hooley… What’s all that about, then? Wasn’t he a rough kinda bloke?”

“Yeah, he was super sketchy… If I wasn’t so mad at you, I’d have just been scared. But, yeah, problem’s resolved, I guess?”

“You sure? Seems suspicious.”

She shrugged. “At the end of the day, it’s not like he’d, like, kill me or anything… maybe rough me and my toys up a bit, that’s it.”

“Jesus…” Lucio shook his head. “You two need to go legit, you know!”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “I’m plenty legit!”

“Oh, yes, the late-night repairs and cleanings you do for the local gangs are _super_ legit,” Hana teased. “I’m sure law enforcement is so proud of all that evidence going down the drain…”

“Hey now,” he defended. “I ain’t done that shit in, like, a month!”

“Could it be? Is Jamie giving up his Junkrat persona?” Lucio asked.

“Not my fault there’s no business around. Not that I’m involved with all that, but it seems like something’s chased all the gangs off.”

“Things _have_ been pretty quiet these past few months,” Hana mused. “I have a lot less competition, now that I think about it.”

“Last time there was a lull…“ Lucio began.

Jamie shook his head. “It won’t be like that. Right? I mean, the new groups formed to make sure nothing like that happened again!”

“Keep your voices down,” Hana hissed. “It’ll be fine, guys.”

“It’d be different for us; we’re a lot older now.”

“Yeah, this time they won’t be afraid to send us to our deaths,” Jamie spat. “It’s bullshit!”

“You said it yourself, Jamie, it won’t be like that,” Hana said. “Maybe there’s a lull ‘cause Vishkar’s actually doing their jobs, or something.”

“I hope that’s all it is,” Lucio muttered. “I don’t even know how they do things anymore.”

“Easy. You shoot the other guys.”

“But who're the other guys? We don’t all live in the same area anymore; I think I’m deep in Sonar territory!”

“You shitting me?” Jamie whistled. “I’m on the outskirts, but I’m close to a Vishkar outpost, so anyone’d be dumb to be set up shop anywhere near me.”

“But you’ve always got your original ties,” Hana said.

“Don’t remind me,” he groaned.

“When’s the last time you talked to your dad, anyway?” Lucio asked.

“Fuck if I know. If I go the rest of my life without seeing his ugly suit, I’d be happy.”

“Well, I’ll ask around for news, I guess,” Hana said. “I’ve got a match in a few days, if you guys want to come cheer me on.”

“Could be fun,” Lucio said. “I’ll check my schedule and let you know.”

“It’s at night, right?” Hana nodded. “Then I’m in!” Jamie said. “What’s the minimum?”

“Fifty.”

“Hana!” Lucio yelled. “You’re in the fifty-K credits bracket?!” he whispered harshly. “When the hell did this happen? That’s so dangerous!”

She waved her hand. “Don’t be silly. I win, so it’s fine. And, since Jamie and I build everything, I don’t have any debts, especially since the one Jamie caused is gone.”

“Jamie, you knew about this?”

“Well, sure. I like to place my bets on our best gal, ya know?”

“It’s usually a sound investment!” she smiled.

Lucio groaned. “You two will be the death of me. Just checking real quick: you are aware that both the bot fights and betting on said bot fights are illegal?”

“Of course!”

“That’s what makes ‘em fun!” Jamie laughed.

Lucio finished his drink with one large gulp.

* * *

Jamie didn’t see his friends again till the bot fights; he accosted a nervous-looking Lucio just outside the warehouse before practically dragging him inside. He’d made his bets already, using a secure, third-party payment system on a “borrowed” account he’d acquired through less-than-legal means: standard protocol, really.

Lucio wasn’t comfortable making bets since he didn’t have such a convoluted trail protecting his credits—his legitimate job as a DJ and part-time song writer meant all his credits were linked to him through a large banking corporation, and he’d never made an effort to change that. While Jamie’s daytime job was linked in such a way—through a smaller, local credit union since he hated big banks—his after-hours pay was kept in the more secure account. Since that account was significantly richer, he was very capable of participating in the bets as well as the underground markets where he bought parts and other rare oddities that struck his fancy.

The matches began as they usually did, with a patriotic rendition of the city’s anthem as it was originally written, just as racist and sexist as the day the city was founded. Jamie had always been impressed by his hometown’s ability to shock and offend, a stereotype most locals inadvertently perpetuated with their day-to-day behavior.

Given Hana’s high rank, they had several rounds to watch before seeing their friend. There were a few traditional 1v1s and a team battle. Most entertaining, however, were the matches only meant for show, with overpowered bots facing waves of drones in an effort to show off some tech. It was fun to watch, but a stark reminder that someone in the town was capable of doling out some serious fire power; the builders wanted to win for the money, of course, but they also used the battledome as a stage to bring glory to their respective gangs. Hana was one of the few “free agents”, though she was well sought after; even Jamie had gotten a few interested investors who’d heard that he’d had a hand in the creation of her bot.

After excess debris were swept away, Hana’s opponent took to the floor, stepping carefully over the many oil spots, and presented his bot. Hana followed suit, her own design much smaller—Jamie could already tell she’d win, though. He had a good sense about that kind of thing.

They shook hands and headed toward their respective corners, each taking up their controllers. A loud bell rang to mark the start.

There was a huge flash. A loud rumble shook the warehouse.

Lucio grabbed Jamie’s arm and _yanked_ him toward the exit just as the screams started.


	3. Chapter 3

It was no secret that Jamie was a bit… creative with his inventions. Sure, he could tune any engine just as a conventional mechanic, but after hours, he preferred to take liberties with what scraps Satya let him take home and would contraptions of the more exotic variety.

Due to this, he was plenty used to bright flashes that came with explosions, as well as the disorienting sounds. But, even with his “training”, he’d yet to be exposed to such powerful blasts, and up close, at that. He wasn’t sure how Lucio managed to keep his head as they attempted to clear the room, but his friend—no, he was more than that, wasn’t he? At least he had been, originally. It’d been a while since his protective training had needed any use, ever since Jamie stopped associating with his old name—could dip and dodge everything that threatened them.

In under a minute, they were off the main floor, but it was clear they weren’t yet out of harm’s way.

“Luce,” he was forced to shout his friend’s name. “We have to get Hana!”

“I need to get you out of here first!” he insisted.

“Fuck that! My life isn’t worth more than hers!”

“You know it’s not that simple,” he said. After a few seconds, he made up his mind. “If you go straight down this hallway, there should be a side exit—assuming it’s not blocked off. Get there, and, if the coast is clear outside, go to my house, alright?”

“But—“

“No ‘but’s,” his voice was stern. “I’m going to try and track down Hana. It seems like the bombs were more concentrated on the perimeter, so she should be safe. You remember my garage code, right?”

“’Course—“

Lucio pushed him toward the exit and ran back into the smoke-filled room. Jamie fought himself for a moment, then decided it’d be safest for Lucio if he just simply listened to his bodyguard for once in his life.

The hallway was still intact; as Lucio had mentioned, the bomb’s placement was indeed strange. Jamie knew that, if whoever was responsible for this was smart, they’d have taken out any of the support columns or walls instead. Of course, perhaps their goal wasn’t destruction, but simply confusing those inside. If they were after something—or someone—inside, it would make sense for them to minimize debris while making the place hard to navigate.

Jamie didn’t think himself anyone special, but there were those in the world who saw him as the perfect bargaining piece, all because of his father. It’d been years since he’d used his family name, however, and the only person who knew who he was was Lucio, since they’d met before Jamie had run away to their city and started anew. Was it possible that he’d been discovered? And, if so, were these people who were attacking some of his father’s enemies? Or worse, his father’s own men?

He found the door that Lucio mentioned with little difficulty, but a few other patrons were already struggling to open it.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Locked,” a young women—he recognized her as one of the other builders—said, pulling on the handle as if to affirm her words.

“The door’s getting hotter too,” another, more elderly woman, mentioned. “It might not be safe to go out through here.”

“Shit,” he muttered—how unfortunate that he hadn’t brought one of his own bombs for once! “You guys know of any other exits?”

“I didn’t even know about this one,” the younger woman said.

“Shit,” he repeated. “Well, should we head back and find another exit, then?” he was surprised with how steady his voice was—he wasn’t scared, but his heartbeat was racing due to adrenaline.

The small group nodded, and they set off back down the hallway. Jamie paused when they passed the main room, the sounds of gunshots ringing out.

“You guys go on ahead,” he urged. “I need to check on my friends!”

The young woman looked unsure, but nodded. “Take this, then, and be careful.” She shoved a small pistol into his fumbling hands then ran.

The visibility of the room was still poor, so Jamie treaded carefully, not wanting to fall due to a stray bullet. A body appeared at his side, a man with dreadlocks, and he immediately fell to its side. He sighed in relief on turning it over, not recognizing the face as Lucio’s.

He stood and kept walking the perimeter. The shots were becoming fewer—the most curious part, he noted, was that no one was shouting. If it was a typical gang operation, there would be people barking orders. But the screams had died down at that point, and the lack of voices was worrisome. Were they simply so organized that they didn’t need to talk to each other?

The next face he saw was unexpected—but certainly welcome. He lowered his weapon to his side and opened his arms.

“Mako!” he cheered. The man turned abruptly.

“Jamie?” his eyes opened wide. “What are you doing here?”

“I watch these, you know, bet and stuff? And build, on occasions. What are you doing here?”

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but said nothing.

“Hey, Roadhog!” someone yelled. “What’s taking you so long?”

He grunted in response, “Shut it!” he yelled in a voice much harsher than Jamie had ever heard him use.

Jamie blinked, then took a step back. “You’re with them…” he said.

“You should get out. We’re not here to hurt anyone, as long as no one gets in our way,” he explained.

“You shot people!”

“Tranqs only.”

“So the bombs…”

“Just a distraction.”

He scoffed. “Well good, ‘cause if you were trying to wreck anything, I’d have to recommend that you fire your explosives guy.”

Mako laughed. “You’re taking this well.”

He shrugged. “I know this city; if you’re not in a gang, you’re as good as dead.”

“Gang?” he raised a brow. “I must be too new—“

“You sure are takin’ your damn time, ain’t ya?” someone asked from behind Mako. He noticed Jamie. “Who’s this?”

“No one,” Mako insisted. “Did you get what we wanted?”

“Er, about that…” he began. He paused and looked Jamie up and down. “Hey, this kid looks familiar.”

“He’s just a townie,” Mako said. “Don’t worry about him. What did you guys fuck up?”

“Nothing, nothing! Well, nothing this kid can’t solve. You’re Junkrat, ain’t ya?”

“Um…” he said, honestly thankful the man only knew him by that name. “Ma—I mean Roadhog, do I have to answer this guy?”

“No. Get out of here McCree.”

He laughed. “You’re getting soft, Hog. This kid knows you then?”

“We’ve been here for months, of course I’ve met people. He’s just a kid, we don’t need to involve him.”

“We do when he’s the only one who can fix the damaged bot we’ve got.”

“Shit,” Mako cursed. “How’d it get hit?”

“Dunno,” he shrugged. “But, the boss would be _very_ excited to have the engineer of the mech himself around, anyway. So, how about you come with us, kid?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Jamie said.

“I’ll have to take you by force, then,” he smiled and brought his gun up. “No hard feelings—“

Mako stood in front of Jamie, completely blocking the man’s shot. “Don’t even think about it.”

He stared for a few seconds then, with a laugh, twirled his gun around and stuffed it in its holster. “I was only kidding—been out of bullets for a minute. He’s gonna have to come with us, Hog.”

“Who are you guys?” Jamie asked.

McCree stood proudly. “Only the meanest crew around. Black—“

Mako sighed. “Shut up, you’re not supposed to advertise it.”

“Oh!” Jamie brightened. “You’re Blackwatch, ain’t ya?”

“You got it!”

“Aren’t you based in America?”

“That we are! But, our bosses are interested in some of this fine Outback tech you’ve got—“

“This is confidential information,” Mako growled. “Shut up.”

“Well, he asked,” McCree pouted. “So, here’s the thing. He’s either joining us willingly or by force. It’s up to you kid.”

“What do you do, exactly?”

“Dispense justice!”

“…to the highest bidder.”

Jamie crossed his arms. “You seem like nothing more than a bunch of thugs.”

“Well-funded thugs, at the very least,” McCree smiled. “We could use some young blood. Lot of ugly old men around, you’d be a welcome addition.” He winked.

Jamie laughed. “You’re flirting while threatening me?”

He tipped his hat and—to his slight embarrassment—Jamie giggled. He hardly got flirted with often, after all, and it was a bit more surprising than anything.

“McCree, get out of here. I’ll see to bringing… Junkrat.”

McCree raised a brow, then glanced between them. He smiled. “Ah, I get it. A bit young for you, isn’t he? But, I understand the appeal.”

Jamie flushed at the implication, even though he knew the situation was far too serious for him to be getting caught up in his feelings for a man he really didn’t know. With a tip of his hat, McCree left them.

Mako placed a comforting hand on Jamie’s back. “I’m really sorry about all of this. But, you’ll have to come with us either way.”

“I understand,” he began. “I still don’t know if it’ll be good for you guys. I’ve got some friends who’ll stop at nothing to get me back.” _And enemies_ , he thought to himself.

Mako laughed. “No offense, but I doubt your drinking buddies can do much against our group.”

“Maybe so,” he chuckled. “Well, let’s get on with it, then! I wanna meet all of these Blackwatch folks!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can't resist a bit of high boom lolol


	4. Chapter 4

Unfortunately for Jamie, his introduction to Blackwatch didn’t go nearly as well as he’d hoped. As soon as he’d expressed his willingness to go with them, Mako had uttered a quick, “Sorry” before jamming a needle in the side of his neck. Jamie swayed on his feet for a few seconds before he blacked out.

Upon waking, he found himself in a bleak cell of sorts. His head was still a bit fuzzy, but he noticed that his flesh wrist was tied to a post and that he was laid on a firm bed, his artificial limbs missing. He wondered who had tied him up, then giggled.

“How kinky,” he slurred through his haze.

“You’re a shameless one, ain’t ya?” a familiar drawl replied. Jamie’s body felt too heavy to sit up, so he didn’t attempt to make eye contact. “How you feeling?”

“Funny…” he laughed again. “Where’s Mako?”

“Your boyfriend’s upstairs,” he explained. “Sorry about the drugging thing… we can’t let people know where our base is.”

“My stuff...?”

“Your phone, cards, and gun are secure—you won’t be getting access for a bit.”

“I need to tell my friends… that I’m okay,” he wriggled around on the bed, his senses not becoming any clearer.

“No can do, kiddo.”

“What do you guys want from me?”

“It’s simple, really. All we need is you to help us with putting together a mech just like your friend’s.”

“For who?”

“I probably shouldn’t say too much about that. Don’t even worry about it, though; the sooner you help out our head engineer, the sooner you get to go home.”

Jamie inhaled deeply in an attempt to deal with the slight pulsing around his temples. “Tired,” he said.

In a few moments, McCree was at his side, hoisting him up roughly. Jamie whined. “Can’t let you sleep—it’s bad for the head. You just have to ride this out.”

“It hurts…” he was too out of it to notice how childish he was sounding. He instinctively curled toward the support. McCree slapped his cheek a few times.

“The doctor _and_ Hog will kill me if I let you konk out. Stay with me, kid.”

“You’re pretty,” Jamie smiled up at the blur.

He chuckled. “Shucks, if I was a decade younger and short one boyfriend, I’d call you.”

“But Mako’s prettier.”

“Hey, kid, to each his own. A bit old, don’t ya think?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been told that I have daddy issues.”

McCree’s head fell back as he let out a hearty laugh. “I’m never letting Hog live this down. I hope you stick around with us, you’d bring some much-needed spunk to our little band.”

“Is he alright?” a woman’s voice echoed around Jamie’s head. He looked toward the door of his cell and was met with what could only be described as an ethereal being.

“Are you an angel?” he asked.

“Still a bit loopy,” McCree explained.

The angel nodded before floating over. She held out a glass. “Junkrat: can you drink this for me?”

“Anything you say, lady,” he grabbed the glass and knocked it back, only spilling a few drops.

“This should help you get back to us.”

Jamie was amazed at how quickly he came to. All of a sudden, everything was perfectly clear to him.

“I think you can let go of him now, Jesse.” The man released Jamie as if he’d been burned.

“Are you feeling better, Mr. Junkrat?”

He nodded then cleared his throat. “Where am I?”

“Well, we can’t say where exactly, but you’re safe and now under Blackwatch’s custody till you serve your purpose.”

“No need to sound so cold—making it sound like we’re gonna kill him when he’s done!”

“Where’s Roadhog?”

“Still upstairs,” the woman said. “In a bit of trouble, I think, over the whole mech thing, even though it was hardly his fault. It would’ve been much simpler if they’d brought that back instead of you… no offense.”

“None taken.”

“Anyway, I’m the resident doctor around here—you can call me Mercy.”

Jamie nodded—perhaps he shouldn’t have spoken so much, as it was. Even though they were treating him cordially, he couldn’t ignore that they were internationally renowned vigilantes who had kidnapped him. No matter how he felt about Mako, he knew he had to keep his head.

A loud set of footsteps sounded from the hall—Jamie guessed that the person was walking down a set of stairs.

“There’s the man of the hour,” McCree said, standing. “Which means it’s my turn to get torn a new one, huh?”

Mercy chuckled. “Good luck; you know how Hog always puts him in a mood.”

McCree groaned as the pair walked out of the cell, quickly replaced by Mako.

“Hey,” he said.

Jamie scoffed. “I thought I’d be getting a warm welcome here! One criminal to another, you know?”

“Our boss is very particular about things. He never accounted for a hostage.”

“I came willingly, didn’t I?”

“Will you build willingly?”

“I ain’t got nothing else to do, do I? So why the hell not?”

“How long will it take you?”

“Depends. Did you bring the damaged mech?” he asked, hopeful.

“No, it was loaded with trackers.”

“Ah, that’s right,” he feigned ignorance, though he didn’t think Mako bought it. If they noticed those, then surely they caught the bugs in his arm, leg, and phone. Though he’d come along without resistance, he fully intended on being rescued at some point, and hopefully it would happen before these people found out who he actually was. “Anyway,” he continued. “Building a mech from scratch will take some time. And I have to see what I’ve got to work with before drawing up any plans. You have an engineer here, don’t you?”

Mako nodded. “He’s a bit old-fashioned, but he can help you with anything.”

“Did you guys move out here just for one mech? Seems like a bit of overkill.”

“That’s classified.”

“Wait… Satya’s not in on this is she?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“I was just wonderin’ why you’d come around to our garage, is all.”

Mako grumbled something under his breath.

“What?”

“We should get you to the workroom quickly.”

“Oh alright.” He pulled his arm up and tugged against its binding. “I’m a bit tied up, though. And lacking in some essential parts for walkin’ and tinkerin’.”

Mako nodded. “I’ll try and get your parts back to you as soon as possible—don’t think we didn’t notice the tracers in them.”

He chuckled nervously. “Can’t really blame a man for being paranoid when he’s a victim of kidnapping, can you?”

Mako grunted.

“So, correct me if I’m wrong, but you guys aren’t serving no small-time gang, are you?”

“That’s—“

“Classifed? Sure. Well, I’m not an idiot. You guys ran a pretty slick op, and in a place as unrefined as the Outback, even if I hadn’t gotten snatched up, I’d have known what was up. Wouldn’t have assumed Blackwatch, of all groups… and Overwatch’s goals, at the moment, are rather tightly aligned with Vishkar right now, aren’t they? Which means… you guys are expecting me to build a mech for some damn dictators. Hate to break it to you, but that won’t fly by me.”

“They’ll kill you if you try fucking with them. Even I can’t stop that if you’re considered a threat.”

“I really don’t think I’ll even be around that long,” Jamie confessed.

Mako wasn’t sure what he meant by that, so he decided to ask another question. “You sure know a lot about some private information on Overwatch. How’s that?”

“I’ve got a pretty close friend—well, I don’t actually know them personally, they keep a low-profile: they’re practically a ghost. Anyway, they’re pretty capable at getting their hands on any info one could need.”

“That’s a valuable asset to have.”

“They spend most of their time conning rich men out of their wealth, which is how we met, coincidentally.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” Mako shook his head.

Jamie only shrugged, figuring it was for the best. He wondered just how long his rescue would take. The disabling of the trackers would delay them a few hours, but given how desperate Lucio had seemed, and how talented their friend was… “How long was I out?” he asked.

“About three hours,” Mako responded. Jamie nodded. Soon, then, he thought, assuming they were still on the continent, which seemed likely. “Here we are.”

They had long since left the basement and were now facing a large, garage-type room; a familiar sight, in Jamie’s eyes. There were windows high up past the rafters, all blocked completely. The lights themselves had a clinical air, and it didn’t flatter the man who greeted them at all.

“Hello,” he smiled, but his voice was gruff. “This the kid?”

“Yes,” Mako began. “This is Junkrat.”

He nodded. “The name’s Torbjörn. Head engineer.”

“He’s a glorified plumber,” another loud voice sounded. “Not as skilled as me, of course!”

Jamie turned toward the more pleasant voice, shocked to see what seemed like a mech—he eventually found the human face and realized that it was a suit, not a whole bot. “Hello,” he said simply.

“I’m Reinhardt,” he replied. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Er, sure. Not concussed, at the least.”

“Excellent! Well, Roadhog, how about you get us some food, then, and we’ll help Junkrat here adjust to his new workplace.” Though it was more a polite suggestion, something about the request made it seemed more like an order. Mako left without even a nod.

Junkrat was ushered toward a workbench after Mako set him down, his lack of a leg delaying his progress slightly. Still, he could follow the two men’s explanation of the workshop’s layout—even though they frequently took to arguing instead of actually speaking to him. Despite his status as a hostage, technically, they both seemed very eager to be working with him as an equal; his unreturned limbs reminded him not to get too comfortable.

Mako returned with their food a bit later than Jamie had anticipated.

“What took you so long?” Torbjörn asked. He seemed more curious than deprecating.

“Microwave was busted,” he explained.

“What?” Reinhardt groaned. “Didn’t we just get a new one?”

“It wouldn’t cook anything. Just spelled out F-O-X no matter what number I pressed. So you get takeout instead.”

Jamie’s eyes widened at the comment: "Fox", a nickname of his whenever he spoke with his online friend, inspired by his last name, Fawkes, of course. He took the offered box and tucked into the chow mein with gusto. Surely he’d be out of there soon, so he may as well take Blackwatch for all that they were worth, which was apparently only a medium portion of some damn good Chinese food.

The alarms started blaring a minute later, and Mako immediately grabbed him, rushing toward the exit. It was to no avail, however, as the door swung shot and locked. The covers of the windows slid open with a series of clicks. Jamie turned, expecting his rescuers to come in through the obvious entry.

They certainly attempted to, at the least. He winced as Lucio bumped against the glass with a loud thud and a curse.

A second body had better luck with the window next to him, and in popped Hana, gun poised and at the ready. Lucio scrambled to follow after her, his own weapon trained on Mako, whose arm only tightened around Jamie.

“Really?” Jamie scoffed. “Just the two of ya?”

Lucio looked behind him quickly. “Er, well, there’s supposed to be three. Plus, you know, our in.”

Jamie groaned. “I was hoping you’d make more of a show in rescuing me.”

“Sorry kid,” Reinhardt made a fist in front of them, a large, translucent shield separating them and his friends. “We can’t let you go that easily.”

“And we won’t let you keep him,” Hana bit back. “Hand him over, or we’ll have this whole place leveled in seconds.”

“You’re bluffing,” Torbjörn said.

There was a short beep, then a voice rang out over the intercom. “Afraid she’s not. You guys have quite the fun collection in your basement, don’t you?” a woman sang. “It would be a shame if someone were to… hack into their control panel, wouldn’t it?”

Reinhardt and Torbjörn froze, exchanging glances. In response, a second beep sounded, then a new voice. “She’s got complete control over Athena, team,” this person sounded weary. “Just let the kid go, we’ll finish our mission some other way.”

“You heard the captain,” Reinhardt glanced at Mako.

A bit reluctantly, Mako released Jamie, who hobbled over to his friends. Lucio helped him stay upright. He placed a hand to his ear, then nodded. “Sym’s got his stuff, let’s get out of here.”

“Guys,” the famed hacker said over the speakers. “Mind if I stay for a bit longer, see what other fun things I can find?”

“That’s not what you’re getting paid for,” Jamie glared. “If you wanna stick around and make more enemies, then it won’t be on my tab.”

“Fine, fine! Whatever you say, boss!”

Lucio’s grappling wire shot away from him and toward their escape point. “Ready to go?”

“Course,” Jamie nodded, holding onto Lucio tighter for the quick trip. With a sudden pull, they followed after Hana through the window. Feeling a bit cheeky, Jamie blew a kiss to his previous captors. “Sorry for eating and running, loves!” They hopped down out the other side, his boss’s magnum opus teleport at the ready. The three passed through it, immediately stumbling into a moving van—Jamie was impressed Satya had figured out how to make the thing work when it was mobile—to meet a new face. The teleport shut down behind them.

“G'day,” he nodded, guessing that this was the person who’d saved his ass. “Jamison Fawkes at your service.”

She smiled. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person, boss. Good to put a face to my paycheck.”

“So, do we get a name, or is it just Sombra?”

“Just Sombra, please,” she chuckled. “It’s not my name, but it’s all that I am now. We’ll have to relocate you, you know. I doubt Blackwatch will let you stick around knowing all that you do.”

“I don’t think they knew who he was,” Lucio commented. “Otherwise they’d have brought him to his father already.”

“They weren’t all that smart, actually,” Jamie said. “I’m a bit worried about why Overwatch is trying to get their hands on mech tech, though.”

Hana nodded. “They’re not the only ones. Satya was telling us about some other attacks on weapons facilities in India and Russia. I’m not sure what’s going on, but it’s big.”

“I see,” Jamie mused. “Here we were worried about simple gang activity.”

“And now there’s a war brewing, it seems,” Satya said from her seat behind the wheel.

“Thanks for coming out for me, Satya,” he said. “It means a lot.”

She shrugged, which Jamie knew meant she was trying not to be too sappy with a smile. “It would be too quiet without you nearby. I could go for a change in scenery, anyways.”

“Before that, though,” Sombra interrupted. “Perhaps we could take a quick trip to the city.”

“What for?” Jamie asked, though he already knew.

“To pay your father a visit, of course. A lot of the attacks reeked of Vishkar, so I figure their biggest financial backer might be able to share a thing or two.”

“But, we should rest, first,” Hana said. “Make sure Blackwatch isn’t still after Jamie. And, breaking into Fawkes Co. will take a bit more work than we’re used to.”

Sombra nodded. “Luckily, I’m familiar with them already.”

“So long as we keep Jamie far away from it, I’m fine,” Lucio said, his protective streak rearing its head at the mention of Jamie’s father.

Jamie slumped on a bench, accepting his arm and leg from Hana. Things were getting hairy, he thought, and anything that involved his father would require his full focus. “Right. Let’s head to the safehouse, then, at least for a day. We can plan after some food and sleep.”


End file.
